Council sets an enviro example

Toowoomba City Council is building an environmentally sustainable display house at the front of its nursery in Ramsay Street after being selected for a Queensland-wide environmental project.

The project ? the Year of the Built Environment (YBE) Sustainable Demonstration Houses Program ? aims to increase the uptake of more sustainable housing practices among Queenslanders.

The building of Toowoomba's display home, and the possible development of nine "eco" housing sites at the rear of the nursery, was approved by council earlier this week.

Council Environment and Heritage Management portfolio chair Sue Englart said the sustainable "smart" display home would incorporate a number of features.

"It will be very water-wise, and have natural ventilation and natural light; the orientation of the house will take advantage of heat in winter and cool in summer; it will have solar power, and use materials that are environmentally-friendly," Cr Englart said.

She said she hoped the project would encourage local builders as well as prospective home-owners to consider sustainable housing options.

"Ultimately it's about education. We want to show people what it's all about.

"Environmentally speaking, if each person addresses their own little bit of the world, then I think that's the way to go."

The sustainable display home would hopefully be completed within 12 months, Cr Englart said.